About

Presteigne, (Llanandras in Welsh), was once the county town of Radnorshire and nestles on the border of Wales and England. Surrounded by beautiful, unspoilt countryside, this thriving border town has many unique qualities that make it both a perfect destination and a base  to explore the Mid Wales Marches.

Presteigne High Street has a good range of independent shops, restaurants, pubs, hotels and services. Good accommodation is plentiful, both in the town and the surrounding area, and whether your choice is self-catering or serviced accommodation, high quality local and organic produce is available in both shops and restaurants.

Presteigne and Norton Dark Sky Community

Presteigne and Norton has became the very first community in Wales to be designated as an International Dark Sky Community by DarkSky International.

This achievement represents a unique community collaboration to pursue a dark sky ambition by tackling light pollution. Covering an outer area of 40 square kilometers and a combined population of 2,700, the historic Radnorshire towns of Presteigne and Norton are located in Powys, the largest and most rural county in Wales.

Visitors interested in the night sky should book a guided tour of the nearby Spaceguard Centre which is a working observatory, and the main source of information about near Earth objects in the UK.

Presteigne Town Trail

Presteigne has had a turbulent history. It was capture by the Mercians from the Welsh, besieged by Prince Llywelyn in 1262 and pillaged by Owain Glyndwr early in the 15th century.In Tudor times it had recovered and was granted a weekly market. From then until the mid-19th century it hosted five annual fairs. Its position on the mail coaching road from London, Cheltenham and Gloucester to Aberystwyth made it a town of considerable importance.

Presteigne eventually became the county town of Radnorshire. This status was lost in 1884 due to the rapid expansion of Llandrindod Wells. The town trail is intended to give the visitor a taste of this historical and architectural heritage which still exists largely intact, and to introduce the quiet character of this unspoilt and picturesque town.

Set alongside the river Lugg, at the corner of the three counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Powys, Presteigne is a short drive from Hay on Wye, Hereford, Ludlow and Shrewsbury and just over an hour and a half from Birmingham and the beautiful coastline of West Wales. It would be difficult to find a better place to stay for easy access to the rich variety of experiences necessary for a rewarding break. 

Presteigne began life as a small settlement clutched around St Andrews Church. It was registered in the Domesday Book under the Humet Manor. Despite some prosperity in the next hundred or so years, the plague and the Glyndwr rebellion consigned the inhabitants of Presteigne to hardship.

The Tudor period saw a resurgence in economic activity in the town, with the cloth trade providing the majority of townsfolk with their income. The early modern period brought stability to the town which grew to become the administrative centre of Radnorshire. From then until the mid-19th century Presteigne hosted five annual fairs. Its position on the mail coaching road from London, Cheltenham and Gloucester to Aberystwyth made it a town of considerable importance.

The Judge's Lodgings Visitor Centre

The Judge's Lodging's in the town centre is well worth a visit.  Formerly the Shire Hall, it opened in 1829 on the site of the former County Gaol. Designed by Edward Haycock, it was not only the judicial centre for the County, but also home to the Radnorshire Constabulary. In 1970 the last judge donned his wig here and it now houses an award-winning museum and Tourist Information Centre. The Presteigne Town Trail starts from Judge's Lodging's

Annual events include the Presteigne Music Festival.